Today there are several notions regarding “green” packaging, which is more virtuous for the environment. It is sometimes difficult to see clearly between the notions of biodegradability, compostability, recyclability and biosourced. Let’s take a quick look at these concepts.
Some definitions first:
Biodegradability: Biodegradability will apply to an organic product that can decompose in a favorable environment and under the action of microorganisms. It will therefore decompose naturally depending on the conditions of temperature, humidity, light or oxygen. Its decomposition must not be harmful to the environment. Thus, a tree leaf is biodegradable (around 3 weeks) while a plastic bottle is not (around 400 years)
Today it is forbidden to mention this concept on packaging. The definition of the term biodegradable is not the subject of any scientific consensus. This technical and legal vagueness is damaging in the fight against plastic pollution. It will therefore be prohibited to affix this notice to products and packaging as of January 1, 2022.
http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/15/amendements/2274/CION-DVP/CD966
So the notion of biodegradable packaging ultimately only concerns natural packaging: a banana peel, an eggshell, etc. It's our home compost! (including of course only elements of plant origin)
Compostable: French law speaks of composting to designate the “biological treatment of organic waste by aerobic fermentation to obtain compost”. A compostable product is therefore biodegradable, but the opposite is not necessarily true. The EN 13432 standard specifies that, for a product to be compostable, 90% of its initial dry mass must have biodegraded in less than 3 months.
Composting must be carried out in dedicated facilities (domestic or industrial). Industrially, compostable is helped by favorable conditions (temperatures between 70 and 80°C)
Most packaging offered on the market today is industrially compostable. They are mainly made with corn or potato starch. Effective decomposition must in fact take place in an industrial composter with specific conditions (oxygen, temperature). This is a process that can take several months even when good conditions are met.
This regularly feeds posts that we see on social networks or a biodegradable bag or a coffee capsule (made from corn starch or potato starch, etc.) does not disintegrate in a domestic compost or In the ground. The disintegration conditions are not met and your capsule or bag will still be there. The consumer is faced with a fallacious argument making him believe that he can throw this into his compost or into nature and that the solution is virtuous. Compostable absolutely does not mean that we can naturally throw this product into nature.
You can only put packaging in your home compost where this concept is specified. Of particular note is the OK Compost Home label which guarantees that your product can go into your compost.
Just like the vague notion of biodegradability, it will be prohibited for plastic packaging as of 01/01/2022 to include the notion of compostability.
https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000041555718/2022-01-01
Biosourced: This notion does not indicate the destination of your packaging after use. It only indicates that the raw materials used are of biological origin (plant, animal, algal, residual). This provides information on the composition of the packaging.
Recyclable: A product is recyclable when it can, at the end of its first use, be reintroduced into the making of another product. (Metal, Steel, Cardboard, Paper, Glass, Plastics, etc…)
It is an age-old practice which aims to reuse the raw material of one object to make another. In clear progress in our country, in 2019 we reached 69% of household packaging which was recycled.
https://www.citeo.com/le-mag/les-chiffres-du-recyclage-en-france/
Paper/cardboard are the most virtuous packaging in terms of carbon footprint when recycled. Contrary to popular belief, glass is the worst consumer of energy for its recycling (on average 4 times more CO2 and energy emitting than for recycling paper/cardboard) This is due to both its weight and cost of transport, storage and the energy needed to fuse it.